In designing the interior of the passenger section of an aircraft, there are a number of important cosiderations. One concern is, of course, the overall comfort, convenience, and safety provided for the passengers. Further, there is concern that the equipment be designed so that it is relatively simple and lightweight (minimizing weight being of particular concern to aircraft design), and yet be convenient to operate in a reliable manner.
In the present day design of commercial passenger aircraft, it is quite common to have stowage bins located above the passenger seats. Quite commonly, these stowage bins are closed by doors which are hinge mounted at their upper edge portions so that the doors swing upwardly and outwardly to an open position. It is also common for these doors to be spring loaded in a manner that they are urged with moderate force toward the upper opened position. In the closed position, these doors should be latched properly so that the stowed material is properly contained in the bin. The present invention is directed toward the latching assembly which holds the stowage bin doors in the closed position.
A search of the patent literature has disclosed a number of patents relating generally to latching assemblies, and these are discussed briefly below.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,681,986, Lewis, discloses a latch for a window where there is a handle member which can be used to unlock the sash and also be used as a means of raising the sash after it is unlocked. Lifting the handle causes a pivotally mounted latching member to move out of latching engagement.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,766,193, Schmitz, et al, shows a latching assembly for the door of a locker. There is an exterior handle which is attached to a vertically oriented channel member on which are pivotally mounted a number of latching hooks. Raising the handle lifts the channel so that the hooks are lifted out of locking engagement.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,074,449, Ziomek, et al, shows a locking mechanism by which the forward and rear doors of an automobile or other structure are latched. There are a pair of pivotally mounted locking members which can move into engagement with the two doors. There is a vertically movable actuating member which acts through links or arms which in turn move the locking members into and out of locking engagement.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,219,132, Hohmann, et al, illustrates an electric door lock where there are a pair of pivotally mounted locking members which rotate into and out of engagement with matching locking members.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,572,129, Fuller, shows a locking device for vehicle doors, this device being operable from the hand brake of the automobile. There are pivotally mounted locking members which are operated by a plunger 24 which acts against a pair of inclined shoulders to rotate the locking members into and out of locking engagement.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,952, Hinkle, et al, shows a latching assembly where there is a slide button which actuates a pair of bell cranks which in turn convert the linear motion of the slide button to rotary motion. This motion is transmitted through connecting rods to the latch to rotate the latch member into and out of locking engagement.
Also, as part of the prior art, it is noted that latching devices which are currently used for aircraft comprise an operating handle or member which is slide mounted for vertical motion, with a spring urging the operating member toward a downward latching position. There is a hook or latching member fixedly attached to the operating member, and lifting the operating member simply lifts the hook linearly out of locking engagement.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a latching assembly particularly adapted for use in an overhead stowage bin of an aircraft, but also adaptable for use in other applications, which reliably performs its latching and unlatching function of a relatively simple structure and is easily operated.